Imagine I showed you a machine. It happens to be the most sophisticated simulation machine possible. If you plug yourself into the machine, you will be provided with a simulated life experience of your choice, in which you can experience whatever you wish.
You name it: wealth, health, a loving partner, a fulfilling occupation, adorable children, a lifetime supply of hot blueberry muffins — whatever you want. Whatever you want.
Here is the important part: While you are experiencing the simulation, you would not know that you are in a simulation. While you are plugged in, you will not remember that this machine ever existed, and you would not be ‘suspicious’ of your reality either. Would you plug yourself into this machine?
This was the thought experiment provided by Harvard Philosopher Robert Nozick in his 1974 book Anarchy, State, and Utopia.
The surprising thing about this thought experiment (at least for me) is how many people answered ‘No’. Even Nozick himself argued that most people would not want to opt into this machine.
The reason people provide when they say ‘No’ usually comes in some version of this idea: We as human beings would much prefer a real, authentic life experience — with all its creases and imperfections — over a perfect but simulated life experience with no creases and imperfections.
I find this argument confusing and perhaps disingenuous. Maybe even somewhat woke and idealistic?
Firstly, remember that while you are plugged into the machine, you will not remember or know that you are plugged in. And as far as you are concerned — everything you are experiencing is as real and as believable as it can possibly be.
Look around you right now. If someone told you that everything you see, everything you sense around you is actually a simulation, that everything you thought was real was actually fake — would you be upset, feel violated, and want to ‘wake up’?
I honestly do not think I would. The life that I am experiencing right now feels subjectively real — and whether or not it is objectively, cosmically, or universally real is beyond my grasp of experience as a singular individual.
Quite frankly, I do not mind if this is all a simulation — because it does not feel like a simulation at all.
There is an idea in philosophy called Solipsism: the idea that I can only ever experience my five senses, my feelings, and my thoughts — anything outside of my subjective experience is ultimately untestable and unsure.
To make that sentence more personal to you: You can only ever experience your five senses, your feelings, and your thoughts — anything outside of your subjective experience is ultimately untestable and unsure.
The subjective experience is all that matters — simply because it is all that you ever have. If you see a duck that quacks like a duck, looks like a duck, swims like a duck, and when you cut it open and cook it, it tastes like a duck — at what point will you still care if it’s a real duck or not? According to your subjective world (the only world you can ever experience) — it’s a damn duck.
Take this silly duck analogy to its limits: If everything you experience in this machine is utterly indistinguishable from reality — why would you care if it’s real or not? Are you really that ‘high-minded’ and idealistic of a person? If you cannot tell the difference — what difference does it make?
If I do not yet sound like a psychopath, maybe the next few sentences will push me over that line. But I hope you stick with me.
Another common reason people choose not to plug themselves into the machine is that they do not want to leave their current life behind. Their family and friends. Their loved ones and their responsibilities — basically all the societal anchorings of their current life.
But here is my argument: When you plug yourself into the machine, couldn’t you just erase all your current memories and program new ones? This way, you will not experience a shred of guilt, or an ounce of remorse, for leaving your current life behind — simply because you will not have the slightest memory that it ever existed.
Once you plug yourself into the machine, you are essentially no longer you. You have become someone else, living the life that you (the you right now) have always wanted to live.
I suppose this whole thought experiment is challenging our theories and ideas on happiness. Do we really want what we say we want? And how much do we actually want what we want?
There is nothing more human than to want better for ourselves. Whether it’s wealth, health, relationships, or occupation. Each and every one of us probably has some form of dissatisfaction in either one or all of these four pillars of daily living.
But when we are given the chance to fix it all with a magic machine, most of us would prefer to live our current lives — the very ones we currently have a dissatisfaction with. Again, I find this rather bewildering.
I wonder: When people say No in this thought experiment, and they provide these idealistic reasonings of valuing the ‘painful reality’ over the ‘perfect but simulated life’ — are they really being honest? Or are they putting themselves on a moral high ground, because they think it is the noble answer to give?
Being politically correct or doing the ‘proper’ thing has never been my forte. For me, if that machine ever existed, I would run towards it faster than fat kid chasing an ice cream truck.
This is what would happen if Robert Nozick came to me with that machine.
Robert Nozick: Greetings Alvin. My name is Robert Nozick, I would like to…
Me: Yeah-yeah Prof I get it… where is it?
Robert Nozick: Where’s what?
Me: The magic machine that would solve all of life’s problems! Where is it doc?
Robert Nozick: Oh, uhhh (looking around the room) I think it’s at that back room over there (pointing at the back door). But I have to tell you…
Me (Running): Bye Nerd! Enjoy your philosophizing and high-thinking! Imma be a billionaire!